مَا كنتُ أعرفُ مَا الهَوى حتى َاتى

مَا كنتُ أعرفُ مَا الهَوى حتى َاتى

وطغى عَلَىَّ وللِهَوَى طُغيانُ

وطغى عَلَىَّ وللِهَوَى طُغيانُ

I did not know what love was until it came

I had not known what passion was until it came

And overwhelmed me—love has its tyranny.

And overwhelmed me, for passion is tyrannical

وبُليتُ بِالشَّاوي وزَادَ بَلِيَّتي

وبُليتُ بِالشَّاوي وزَادَ بَلِيَّتي

ذاكَ القَوامُ وطَرفُهُ الوَسنانُ

ذاكَ القَوامُ وطَرفُهُ الوَسنانُ

And I was afflicted by al-Shawi; my affliction was deepened

And I was afflicted by one with a slender figure, whose glances

By that figure and his drowsy gaze.

Increased my affliction

إنَّ المُحِبَّ إذا تَعاظَمَ وَجدُهُ

إنَّ المُحِبَّ إذا تَعاظَمَ وَجدُهُ

هانَ الصُّدودُ عَلَيهِ والهِجرَانُ

هانَ الصُّدودُ عَلَيهِ والهِجرَانُ

Indeed, when a lover's longing grows intense,

When the lover grows mighty, he finds

Rejection and abandonment become easy for him to bear.

Reproaches and estrangement easy to bear

لا أَشتَكِي منه الصُّدودَ وإن يَكُن

لا أَشتَكِي منه الصُّدودَ وإن يَكُن

بِالصَّدِّ تُذكى لِلهوى نِيرَانُ

بِالصَّدِّ تُذكى لِلهوى نِيرَانُ

I do not complain of his rejection, even if

I do not complain of his estrangement, even though

Through rejection, the fires of love are kindled.

With estrangement, passion's fires are kindled

مَا حِيلتي يَا قَوم فِي حُبِّي له

مَا حِيلتي يَا قَوم فِي حُبِّي له

ذَنبي لَديهِ مَا له غُفرَانُ

ذَنبي لَديهِ مَا له غُفرَانُ

What recourse have I, O people, in my love for him?

What can I do, O people, about my love for him?

My sin, in his eyes, has no forgiveness.

My sin against him is one that cannot be forgiven

لي فَانصَحُوا لكن بغَيرِ سُلُوِّهِ

لي فَانصَحُوا لكن بغَيرِ سُلُوِّهِ

ذِهنُ اللَّبيبِ عنِ المُحَالِ يُصَانُ

ذِهنُ اللَّبيبِ عنِ المُحَالِ يُصَانُ

So counsel me—but not to forget him;

So advise me, but without trying to dissuade me from him

The mind of the wise is shielded from the impossible.

The mind of the wise should be guarded against the impossible